Travails of Tenderfoot Seminarians : A Dissenting Note on Pentecostal Formation Paradigm in India Today

Travails of Tenderfoot Seminarians :  A Dissenting Note on Pentecostal Formation Paradigm in India Today

Samuel Eapen, Lecturer in theology, IPC Theological Seminary Kottayam, India

The Pentecostal Christianity in India is a relatively small but thriving community. Pentecostals comprise of converts from non Christian faiths and historical denominations. In the initials decades, the movement was known more for its spiritual fervor and evangelistic spirit than for its biblical scholarship or theological advancement. Yet in the last few years it has been undertaking serious attempts to develop a robust theological formation. Lacking a serious paradigm of their own, the Pentecostals modeled their theological training after the systems of the mainline Christianity, with mixed results. While it has given us a certain theological ascendency and some respect among the Christian fraternity, the young seminarians in our country face crippling problems that requires urgent attention. We certainly have a duty to tackle discrepancies that haunt our system of training. The issue requires a wider assessment than is possible within the limits of a small article. However, I attempt to identify some of the basic issues that need serious attention and suggest ways to correct them.  

Increase of Seminaries without Desired Standards

Historically, Pentecostals were not great institution builders. Initially, we did not even believe in the need of advanced theological training. Our short term training centres basically churned out missionaries and church planters. But of late, there is a mushrooming of purported centres of higher theological education. But we lack a system that ensures common academic and spiritual standards across the institutions. Students land in these institutes without realizing what is on offer. When they join a poorly run seminary, they end up getting exposed to a shoddy culture that will in due course affect their formation. When seminaries’ quality suffers, the ministry of the church suffers too. 

Seminaries usually get around the question of quality by claims of affiliation or accreditation. Sadly, the agencies themselves are struggling to live up to their billing. More often than not, their measurements do not ensure the kind of overall quality and refinement that Christian ministers require. The churches should not leave it to such agencies to decide the ideals of ministry formation. The administrative councils of the churches should put together competent departments to guarantee excellence among their theological institutions. Church supervision is absolutely necessary for seminaries’ to maintain focus and dedication.

The Gap Between What is Sought and Taught

A good number of Pentecostal seminarians undergoing formation in India today are first generation Christians with little or no prior Christian education. There is clearly a gap between what they want to know and what they are taught as fresh seminary students. They are seeking to know the core of their Christian faith and answers to the challenging questions they face from their communities on account of their faith. Still, these beginning theology students are introduced too early into confusing opinions and unwanted, even outdated views. Young teachers trained in liberal systems try out their bits and pieces of radical ideas on these novices with no regard for their spiritual well being. The hapless students find themselves between devil and deep sea. The outcome is that many spiritual buds are nipped before they are blossomed. Some end up confused and malformed, and ultimately miss the mark in their life.

How do we fix this problem? First of all, we need to recognize and bridge the gap from what is known to the unknown. You can only begin teaching from what students already know and then take them to a direction of the aspired knowledge. The teachers should adapt their learning to suit the students’ needs, rather than blindly sticking to their past learning. Second, both the curriculum and pedagogical methods need to be fine tuned to suit the wavelength and comfort level of our students. We should work on models that specifically address our challenges and introduce out of the box solutions that are both practical and sound at the same time. Third, in addition to traditional subjects, some dedicated courses that would assist the specific needs of the students should be introduced. Fourth, periodical and thorough student feedback should be taken on what is given to them. Remedial actions should be drawn up and introduced with diligence and dedication. Finally, teachers should be asked to welcome honest criticisms from the students and build on such candid opinions about their short falls.

Seminary Formation sans Basic Discipleship

One of the grave problems that Pentecostal community faces today is seminary formation without prior discipleship training. In the earlier days, people generally went to seminaries with a fundamental understanding of the gospel values and Christian living. Today we see more and more new Christians with hardly any discipling join seminaries. The seminaries are simply not equipped to meet them in their need. This difficulty can be addressed in two ways. First, and preferably, ensure that only students who are properly discipled are recruited to the seminaries. But it is easier said than done in our context. Many institutions will simply fail to recruit enough students if they enforce such a criterion.  Running institutions this way will be unviable as seminaries are under pressure to produce satisfactory performance reports to parent organizations and donors year after year. The second alternative is to chart out a model of formation where discipleship comes first before introducing advanced critical learning. Many seminaries have adopted this model, but limited time and systemic constraints test the actual working out of this pattern.

Mismatch between Statement of Faith and Course Material

At least, some of the seminaries are oblivious to the mismatch between their statement of faith and the actual course content. In fact, in many cases, what is taught in the class is only a matter between the lecturer and the students. The leadership may be acting in good faith, but what they promise is not what they offer on occasions. Sometimes, different departments position themselves differently on a doctrinal issue in the same seminary. The students will get to hear one answer from one faculty and an entirely different, even conflicting answer from another. I am not pretending here that it is easy to defend doctrinal positions univocally always. In fact, I strongly believe in the need to introduce students to all divergent voices, even those with which they may be uncomfortable. But differences are to the sorted out as much as possible before they are taught to students, and when impossible, they need to be presented in a tolerant and discerning way.  All conversations should lead to the confirmation of the stated faith of the community. It is important because our statement of faith defines our identity. If Pentecostal seminaries are hesitant and tentative about what is important to them, we will not produce self respecting confident Pentecostal preachers and ministers.

Academics and Spirituality

People in seminaries say it is a challenge to find the right balance between academics and spiritual life. But why it has to be so? Why shouldn’t one complement the other? It is important to overcome this false dichotomy that crept into the theological system from the scholastic era onwards. Academics have come to relate to study and thinking. It maintains a predisposition towards theory and proposition. Spirituality on the other hand, is about the life of faith. It is that which gives life and animation to the Christian. According to Alister McGrath, “Christian spirituality concerns the quest for a fulfilled and authentic Christian existence…” It is the experience of living within and on the basis of one’s Christian faith.

When academics get lost in theories discounting Christian practice and experience, it obstructs spiritual disposition of the students. Its rational bearing can encumber spirituality’s mystical side and the life of faith. The life of faith and reasoning of faith should not be at odds. The challenge is integration of spirituality and academics. As Anselm of Caterbury has suggested, the reason should serve faith. That is the only way they would come to meaningfully co-exist. The academy should serve the community of faith and contribute to the enhancement of faith, not dictate terms to it. As responsible custodians of Christian confession, the seminaries should ensure that academics serve, and only serve, the well defined purposes of the seminary’s existence. It is wrong to hold academics and spirituality as conflicting binaries as it will lead into an absurd inconsistency within. 

Lack of Role Models

Seminary formation is more than knowledge impartation. An essential aspect of formation is opportunity for students to observe and learn from people of authentic values and character. They need people to look up to and to be inspired, not just to teach. Sometimes, we come across career minded teachers offloading knowledge on students and their life offering no resemblance to their teachings. Add to it, the number of people with hardly any missionary or pastoral experience train future missionaries and pastors. I suggest two solutions here: First, with all inherent imperfections within, the theological educators should recognize that it is life that begets life and that one’s life speaks louder than his/her words. Second, ensure that at least the core of the faculty group come with genuine and sufficient exposure to grass root ministry.

Conclusion

The problems on our ways are opportunities waiting in the wings if we address them with honest intentions. As long as we do not give up our striving for excellence in perfecting the saints for the work of the ministry, we are on the right path. Let us embrace the challenges and change where necessary to meaningfully serve the church in the twenty first century.